Supporting your school |
Little gifts |
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When the children arrive, why not give them each a little gift pack to remember the day? You can purchase some inexpensive A4 plastic wallets and fill them with anything you want, such as: |
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• Parentkind’ s Be School Ready guide to help parents and their children prepare for their learning journey
• An information sheet about your PTA and how parents can get involved
• A reading book suitable for the age range of the new starters
• A laminated handwriting worksheet and a whiteboard pen so the children can practice
• Some fun activity sheets
• Any vouchers or discounts you may have from local businesses
Preloved and reloved
Does your school have a second-hand uniform stall? Consider setting it up on the day( and it’ s a great way to let new parents know they can donate their child’ s uniform at the end of the school year).
Hungry bears
What delectable delights will you be serving at your picnic? For the children, you could offer individual packed lunches. This will help cut down costs as you will know exactly how much food to buy. Alternatively, picky bits and nibbles are always enjoyable.
For the parents, you could have simple refreshments such as tea, coffee and biscuits, or go all out and have a more substantial fare of sandwiches and cake.
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Safety first
You’ ll need to carry out a risk assessment for your picnic. You can find out more about risk assessments and safeguarding on our website.
You’ ll also need to comply with food hygiene legislation and have a good think about health and safety, especially if you’ re going to be outside. This includes being aware of any allergies the children or parents may have, as well as special dietary requirements. For more information, we have health and safety and food hygiene guidelines on our website.
Fun and games
There are many fun things you could do during your picnic. You could let the children mingle and play using what you have at school, such as the outdoor play equipment or toys and games from the classrooms.
You could also plan some activities, such as a treasure hunt, or singing some songs. Consider your space, how much time you have and the age of your little ones.
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A good way to wind down before the end of your teddy bears’ picnic is to read a book to the children while they are eating – bear themed, of course! We recommend that you speak to the school about a book’ s suitability before your event. |
Stay in touch!
Before wrapping up, ask the parents if they’ d like to stay in touch. When gathering contact details, don’ t forget you’ ll need to comply with GDPR.
Our ultimate PTA guide to teddy bears’ picnics has everything you’ ll need to host the bestest picnic ever, including adorable name stickers, activity sheets and more. Download it from our website:
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Illustrations / photos: Shutterstock |